2005.05.30 MIA:
05/30/2005 6:37:05 PM ,GMT+01:00
PM BUCKOVSKI DEMANDS FROM ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW TO MEDIATE IN
MOC AND SOC DISPUTE
Macedonian Prime Minister Vlado Buckovski sent Monday a letter to the
Ecumenical Patriarch HH Bartholomew, in which he expressed support on
autocephalous status of Macedonian Orthodox Church (MOC), asking him to
mediate in solving of church dispute between MOC and Serbian Orthodox
Church (SOC).
As PM's Cabinet press release reads, Buckovski in the letter to Bartholomew
rejects with indignation the decision of SOC to declare the Orthodox Ohrid
Archbishopric of defrocked bishop Jovan (Zoran Vraniskovski) as autocephalous.
On the basis of their last meeting in Istanbul, PM Buckovski demands from
Bartholomew to mediate in the church dispute between MOC and SOC.
"I expect from You a mediation, to stimulate the dialogue between MOC and
SOC and to encourage both sides to solve the disagreements peacefully", PM
Buckovski said in the letter to Ecumenical Patriarch HH Bartholomew.

2005.05.31 Southeast European Times:
Skopje Reacts to Latest Developments in Church Dispute With Belgrade

31/05/2005

SKOPJE, Macedonia -- Authorities reacted Monday (30 May) to a recent move
by the Serbian Orthodox Church (SOC), concerning the Macedonian Orthodox
Church (MOC), whose independence is not recognised by Belgrade's religious
leaders. Late last week, the SOC decided to officially declare as
autocephalous the so-called Ohrid Orthodox Archbishopric, led by a
controversial Macedonian bishop, Jovan, who was accused of separatism and
defrocked by the MOC last year. In separate statements Monday, Macedonia's
President Branko Crvenkovski and Prime Minister Vlado Buckovski called on
Belgrade authorities to resolve the problem and prevent it from harming
bilateral ties.
Also Monday, Crvenkovski voiced concern about the pace of implementing
internationally set standards in Kosovo. In an interview with the
Belgrade-based English language magazine CorD, Crvenkovski suggested that
the current pace makes efforts to resolve the province's status
considerably harder. (Macedonian Government Web site, Makfax, A1 TV, Telma
TV, Tanjug, Makfax - 30/05/05)

LJUBLJANA, Slovenia -- Serbia-Montenegro Foreign Minister Vuk Draskovic met
with his Slovene counterpart Dimitrij Rupel, who is also OSCE
chairman-in-office, to discuss Kosovo-related issues Monday (30 May).
Draskovic outlined the federal union's position, which calls for basing
negotiations on Kosovo's final status on the principle "more about
autonomy, less about independence". He said Belgrade is prepared to discuss
a compromise solution and expects the same from Pristina.